Yesterday, a client of mine emailed me a report for work that our company did for him in 2002, it had the address of one of our previous office locations. It triggered some fond memories of my return to Miami and working side by side with my father during the last couple of years of his life. The building was owned by my father and his office was on the second floor. It was secluded from the rest of the workers. I think back at that time and what I remember are a couple of major things.
1. reading a book that was the first of my purchases through my paychecks of english translations of any interesting classical work of islamic thought or literature of history. It was "The way of Sufi Chivalry." A small book that I carried with me all the time. I would read it in my down time, or any time I had a break during work. I have a bad memory when it comes to quoting anything I read, but I remember that It was an awesome book. I'm sure left a deep mark in the way that I now think about activism and sufism.
2. going out to collect water and soil samples from the canals of Miami. I had gone out to meet the representative from the Engineering firm that we were working together on the project with at the end of one of the canals, that the events of 9/11 took place. another major event that left its mark on my approach to activism. May the souls of victims of that day rest in peace.
